Believe Me
by R5AAFan
Summary: "I never believed in love. And I never will. Because love doesn't exist."/ "Just let me in and I'll prove you wrong." *Major Auslly with some Trez!* Co-written with StoryGurl16
1. New School, New Friends, and The Outcast

**Hey! This is a new story! I'll be the one posting it, but just know that Storygurl16 is co-writing. We'll each take turns writing a chapter. I'm starting.**

**You might recognize the idea from the votes I (R5AAFan) had written for my next story, but since Undercover got choosed, and that Storygurl16 asked me to write a story with her, we decided to co-write this story.**

**PLEASE NOTE: THIS WHOLE STORY WILL BE IN ALLY'S P.O.V.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

I can't believe it! I'm going to live in Miami! Goodbye cold winters in New York! Yeep! My dad made his dream come true and opened a music store called Sonic Boom at the mall. I'll have a job there, and since I'm the owner's daughter, I can decide my shifts! This seriously couldn't get any better!

I walk in the school the morning after moving and look around. The school is _huge_. I hope I don't get lost.

As a short latina and a tall redhead pass by, I decide to stop them. "Excuse me, do you know where the main office is?"

"Oh, yeah. We'll show you. Come on, Dez." The girl tells the redhead and starts walking. Confused, I decide to follow them.

"So... Are you two together?" I break the awkward silence.

"Yes." The girl answers. "I'm Trish, and that's Dez."

I nod. "Nice to meet you."

The two share a confused look, before looking back at me. Did I say something wrong? "Uh... What's your name?" Trish asks me. _Oh._

"Oh, sorry. I'm Ally."

They nod. "Nice to meet you."

We walk a bit further until we reach the main office.

"Well, here it is. Do you want us to wait for you so we can show you where your classes are?" Dez asks me.

I nod. "If you don't mind, that'd be great."

"Alright. We'll wait here." Trish tells me. I nod and get in the office, happy that I just made two possible new friends.

* * *

At lunch, I eat with Trish and Dez. They fill me in a bit about everyone.

"See that table over there?" Trish asks, pointing to a table at the very end of the cafeteria. I nod. "Those are the populars. Trent, Dallas, Cassidy, Kira, Ethan, and Brooke. Don't even _try_ to talk to them. The only other students they talk to are the ones in the cheerleading or football squad."

I nod. "Got it." I look around, and my eyes land on a blonde guy sitting alone on a table pretty much appart from the others. "Who's that?" I point at him.

"That? It's Austin Moon." Dez tells me. "He doesn't talk to anyone. Well, not that I know of. He's been on his own ever since kindergarten."

"Well, technically he had a friend until second grade, but the guy moved and he's been socially outcasted ever since. If you approach him, he'll just glare at you. No one knows what's his deal." Trish adds.

I look over at the guy once more. He looks so lonely. I can't help but wonder what's going on in that head of his. As if sensing someone watching him, he looks up and locks eyes with me. Just as Trish said, he glares at me before looking back down.

I frown, but keep looking at him anyway. What's his deal?

* * *

**Alright, I apologize for the shortness (is that a word...?) of this chapter, but the next chapters are going to be longer (if you ever read my stories, you'll know I have an issue about writing short first chapters). If it's the same with Storygurl16, deal with her. Just kidding, she's awesome :P**

**Well... review!**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	2. GATT

**Hey! New chapter! This one was written by Storygurl16! We won't be able to update for awhile, since I'm going to a cottage and she's grounded, but we'll try to update as soon as possible.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Dad, I'm home!" I shout as I walk through the front door. I just got back from an okay day at school. I'm still thinking about that Austin guy, though. I mean, why is he so alone? Why won't he talk to anyone?

"How was your first day at school, Ally?" My father asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh. It was pretty good." I tell him. He nods, and sits on the couch in the living room.

"Well, that's good. Did you meet any new friends?" He asks, grabbing the remote from the coffee table, and turning on the TV.

"Yeah. I met these two people. Trish and Dez. They're dating. They're pretty nice." I explain, sitting on the couch next to him.

"Dez? That's a weird name." He says, giving me a confused look.

I just nod. "Alright, well, I'm going to my room to do my homework. See you at diner, Dad."

As I'm walking to my room, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out, wondering who it could be. Looking at the Caller ID, I see that it is an unknown number.

_From: Unknown  
Hey, Ally. It's Trish._

That's weird. How did she get my number? I put her number in my contacts and reply back.

_To: Trish  
Hey, Trish. How did you get my number?_

From: Trish  
School files.

To: Trish  
Jeez. Talk about creepy. Haha, jk. :P

From: Trish  
Hey! How else was I supposed to get it?

To: Trish  
From me, maybe?

From: Trish  
Whatever. Anyway, what's up?

To: Trish  
My ceiling! XD HAHA!

From: Trish  
Really, Ally?

To: Trish  
Sorry. I'm doing homework.

From: Trish  
Oh, okay.

To: Trish  
Can I talk to you about something?

From: Trish  
What is it?

To: Trish  
Well, it's about that Austin guy…

From: Trish  
Oh, please don't tell me you like him! You haven't even met him yet!

To: Trish  
I don't like him! I don't even know him! Well, back to my question. Why doesn't he talk to anyone?

From: Trish  
How should I know?

To: Trish  
I don't know. He just seemed so…lonely today at lunch. Wait! I have an idea! I'll talk to you later! See ya!

From: Trish  
Ally? What are you doing?

To: Trish  
I gotta go. Bye!

I have a plan. I will do whatever it takes to get that boy to talk. I call it 'Operation Get Austin To Talk.'

* * *

"Ally, you can't be serious!" Trish exclaims. I just explained my plan to get Austin to talk.

"I am dead serious. Trish, nothing you say can stop me." I say.

She just rolls her eyes. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Ally."

"What's going on?" A voice asks. We both turn around to see Dez walking over to us. He puts his arm around Trish, and looks at me.

"Well, Ally here, thinks she can get Mr. Silent to talk." Trish says.

Dez looks at me with wide eyes and shakes his head. "Ally, you can't do that. Trust me."

"And how do you know something bad is gonna happen?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because…I just don't think it's a good idea." He says.

I just shake my head and walk away.

* * *

Well, it's lunch time. 'Operation GATT' begins. That's my abbreviation for 'Operation Get Austin To Talk.' I walk into the cafeteria with my lunch bag and sit down at Trish, Dez, and I's usual table.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Ally?" Dez asks.

"Yes. I'm positive." I say. I look over to the table Austin was sitting at yesterday, and sure enough, he's there. "Well, here goes nothing."

I get up from my seat, and walk towards the table he's sitting at.

"Um… Hi." I greet him once I get there. He looks up at me, glares, and then looks back down. I sigh and sit down across from him. "Uh… I'm Ally. I'm new here. You're Austin, right?"

What happens next, I don't expect. He gets up and walks out of the cafeteria. Seriously? What is his problem? All I wanted to do was talk to him! Ugh! Well, this is gonna be harder than I thought. I walk back to Trish and Dez.

"How'd it go?" Trish asks.

I shake my head. "Not so well. But, that doesn't mean I'm giving up."

They both just shake their heads and turn back to their lunches. I not giving up, and I mean it. I will get him to talk to me.

* * *

**Well... that's it for chapter 2! Tell us what you think in a review! We want to know what you think! :)**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :D**


	3. PE

**Hey! Here's chapter 3, by R5AAFan. Hope you like it :)**

**Dsiclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Alright, class. Let's get started." My math teacher says and starts passing out work sheets.

I take this opportunity to glance at Austin. Like in every other class, he's sitting alone in the corner of the room. He's writing something, but I'm too far from him to see what. I sigh and turn back to my desk.

Trish nudges me and I look at her to see she's slipping a note on my desk.

_'I know what you're thinking. Leave. Him. Alone.'_

I sigh and grab my pencil. _'No.'_ I slip it back.

_'Why? I don't get why you're so hung up on the guy. You're wasting your time, Ally. He'll never talk to you. Ever.'_

_'I'm not giving up, Trish. I'll get him to talk. No matter what it takes.'_

_'WHY?!'_

_'BECAUSE! There's something about him... Like a mystery waiting to be solved.'_

_'Seriously? A mystery waiting to be solved? There's no mystery! He's just a guy who prefers to be left alone. So again, leave. him. alone.'_

_'Have you ever wondered why he stopped talking to people? Why he outcasted himself? It's not just a concidence, Trish.'_

Just as she's about to reply, a voice stops her. "Ally and Trish, no passing notes. I'll let it go this time, but if I catch you again, your note will be read infront of the class. Understand?" The teacher tells us. We both nod. Satisfied, he turns around to the board.

I look down to see one more note on my desk.

_'This isn't over.'_

* * *

P.E. Last class of the day.

"Alright, time for basketball training. Pair up and practice your passes." The teacher, Coach Karlson, announces.

"Ally, want to pair up?" Trish asks me. I look over at Dez's sad face.

I shake my head. "Go with Dez. I'll find someone else."

"Are you sure?" I nod. "Okay." She walks over Dez and I look around. Everyone seem to have a partner. I sigh and walk over Coach Karlson.

"Umm... Coach, I don't have a partner." I tell him.

He sighs and looks around. "Moon, come here." He calls. Moon? As in... Austin Moon? I didn't even know he was in this class!

I look around and my eyes indeed land on the blonde guy. He's leaning against a wall in his gym uniform. He glares at the coach (something I'd NEVER do), but seems to loose to glaring match against him since he ends up sighing and walking over.

"Alright, Moon, I want you to pair up with Dawson." He instructs before walking away. _'Thanks, coach'_, I think sarcastically.

I look over at him and he just glares in response. Seriously, I getting sick of all this glaring. But that doesn't mean I'll give up. I'll get him to talk even if that means getting glared at 24/7. Well... that'd be a bit stalker-ish, but... You know what I mean. I hope.

"So... should we go, or...?" I trail off. He grabs a ball and walks to an empty spot. "Alright, we can do that." I finish to myself. I join him and he prepares himself to pass me the ball. I don't know why, but I'm a bit scared of him at the moment. Plus, in all honesty, I'm not the best at basketball. Or any sports for that matter. I'm taken from my thoughts by a sharp pain on my cheek. It takes me a few seconds to realize what happened. Austin just threw a basket ball at my face!

I let out a cry of pain and Trish runs to my side. "Ally, are you okay? What happened?" She asks me.

"Basket ball in my face." I manage to choke out.

A flash of realization gets to her face. She looks over at Austin who's leaning on the same wall as five minutes ago. She walks over at him and slaps his arm. "You did this to her?! What the hell is your problem?!" She shouts to his face.

"Woah, what is going on here?" Coach Karlson asks.

"That jerkface just threw a ball at Ally's face!" Trish exclaims, pointing at Austin.

"Ally?" He asks me, obviously asking if it's true. I nod. He sighs. "Alright, Trish, go with Ally to the nurse. Austin, come with me."

Trish takes my arm and we start walking out of the gym.

"Do you still want to get him to talk?" She asks me.

I nod. "I told you. I'm not giving up."

* * *

**Well... review!**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :D**


	4. In The Nurse Office

**Hey, guys! Thanks for all the amazing reviews! You're all awesome :)**

**Storygurl16 wrote this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

"Well, you don't have a concussion or anything, so I think you'll be fine." The nurse says.

I nod. "So, can I go back to class?"

"Well, why don't you rest for a few minutes? Just to make sure you're perfectly fine." She says, checking off something on a clipboard she has in her hand. I just nod and lie down on one of the beds in the office. After a few minutes, I fall asleep.

* * *

"Ally?" I hear a voice say. I open my eyes to see Coach Karlson hovering over me. "How are you feeling?"

I sit up and rub my eyes. "I'm fine. What time is it?"

"Around 2:30. Why?" He asks.

"Just wondering." I say.

"Alright, well, there's someone here who wants to say something to you." He tells me. He turns around, and by the look on his face, I'm guessing the person that was there, isn't there anymore. He turns back to me, a look of confusion plastered on his face. "Well, let me go find him."

I nod. He turns around and walks out the office door. A few minutes later, he comes back with...Austin?

"Sorry about that, Ally. Anyway, Austin here, has something to tell you." Coach says, nudging Austin foward. I look over to him, and he has his head down, looking at the floor. He stays silent. "Austin, you better say it to her."

Austin glances up at me, looks back at the floor, and then sighs.

"Sorry." He says quickly and quietly.

Coach glares at him. "That wasn't a very good apology."

I shake my head. "Coach, it's fine. Austin, I forgive you."

Austin nods and walks out, not saying another word.

"I'm sorry about him. He doesn't talk very much." Coach tells me.

I nod. "I know."

"Okay, well, see ya in class tomorrow. Put some ice!" He says, saluting and walking out.

* * *

"Ally, it was ONE word. Why are you so happy about it?" Trish asks me, sitting down on my bed. We are currently in my room, talking about the earlier events of today.

"So? He still talked to me." I tell her.

"Because he was forced to!" She exclaims.

I sigh and shrug. "It still counts in my book."

"Whatever, Ally. I still say this idea of yours isn't good." She says, pointing her finger at me and getting up from my bed. I lie back on the bed and close my eyes. "What's this?"

I open my eyes to find Trish holding a brown leather book. "That's my songbook."

"You write songs?" She asks, opening my book. I gasp and quickly get up, snatching the book from her. She gives me a confused look.

"I have one rule. Don't touch my book." I say sternly, glaring at her.

She puts her hands up in surrender. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I just don't like people touching it. I write personal stuff in here. It's also my diary." I explain, setting the book back on my dresser, where it belongs.

She nods, walking over to the bed and sitting back down on it. "Speaking of songs, I heard a rumor that's going around school. I mean, it _is_ a rumor, so I have no idea if it's true."

I tilt my head in confusion. "What is it?"

"Well, I heard...that Mr. Silent, can apparently sing. Well, used to. Apparently, he stopped in second grade." She says.

"At the same time he outcasted himself." I state and she nods. "Where did you hear that?" I ask.

"I overheard Cassidy and Kira talking yesterday." She tells me.

I roll my eyes. "It's probably not true then."

"Like I said, it's just a rumor, so I don't know if it's true. It's probably not, though, considering I heard it from the two biggest sluts at Marino High." She says, giggling after. I laugh a little, too. "Well, I gotta go. I'll see ya tomorrow, Ally."

She gets up and walks out of the room. After she leaves, I sit on the bed and just think. For some unknown reason, I'm kind of hoping that the rumor is true...

* * *

**So... What do you think? Remember, we love reviews! ;)**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	5. Leave Me Alone

**Hey! Sorry it took so long to update, I've been having trouble with logging in. I could send PMs, but not manage stories. I was hoping it wouldn't last too long, and it came back to normal today, so before going to school, I was like "Hey! Let's update!"**

**This chapter was written by me (R5AAFan).**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

It's been three days since the basketball accident. Today's friday, and I'm determined to get Austin to talk before the weekend.

"Still determined to get Austin to talk?" Trish asks me as we make our way to the cafeteria.

I nod. "Yup. Still trying to convince me it's pointless?"

She shrugs. "You seem pretty determined. I'll just live the next few days with the satisfaction that I'll be able to tell you 'I told you so' when you'll give up."

I roll my eyes. "Sure."

"So, what do you plan on doing to get him to talk today?"

"I'll go talk to him." I tell her, nodding in his direction. No surprise here, he's still sitting alone.

"Alright. You know where Dez and I are. Come join us once he'll ditch you." She pats my back and joins Dez at their table. I sigh and make my way to Austin's table.

"Hey." I greet him as I sit down infront of him.

He looks up, glares, and looks back down. I sigh. This is getting usual, isn't it?

"So... how's it going?" He rolls his eyes and gets up, but I grab his wrist before he has the chance to walk away. I chuckle sarcastically. "Nope, not this time. Sit down." He glares at me, but seeing that it's pointless sits back down. I smile. "Good. So, to set things straight, I better tell you now that I'm not the kind of person who gives up. So don't even _try_ to get away from me. I'll always come back. Wow... That sounded creepy..." I finish, mumbling to myself. And suddenly, something unexpected happens. He smiles and chuckles. He actually _smiles and chuckles_! It might seem like nothing, but it's everything to me. I smile back. "So, I don't think we properly met. I'm Ally." I stick out my hand. He stares at it for a second before hesitantly shaking it.

"Austin." He responds silently.

"So, how's it going?" I ask him. He shrugs, looking back at his lunch. "Come on, there's got to be at least one thing!"

"Not really."

Alright. He's not much of a talker. So... what do I do with a friend who doesn't talk? Are we even friends? Well, our time together's going to be pretty awkward.

I look around and notice that about every single person in the cafeteria's staring at us. What's going on? What's wrong?

"So... do you know, by any chance, why everyone's staring at us?" I ask him.

He looks around and shrugs. "I don't care."

"Okay, but do you know why?"

"Outcast." Is his only answer. But it explains everything. Austin has been hanging on his own since second grade. Of course it'd be weird for them to see 'New Girl' hanging out with him.

He looks around once again. He rolls his eyes, glares, and gets up before walking away. Confused, I decide to follow him, leaving my half-eaten lunch on the table. I finally reach him once we're out of the cafeteria.

"You shouldn't have followed me." He tells me, not even glancing my way.

"Why not?"

"Your reputation will be ruined forever."

I roll my eyes. "Does it really look like I care?"

"You should."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Because I'd much rather hang out with you than care about stupid reputation. Let them think what they think, the important is that I know it's not true."

He shakes his head. "You're weird."

I shrug. "So?"

He shakes his head. "Can you just leave me alone?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Why not?" I challenge.

"Because you'll leave me at some point. They all do."

"What tells you I'm not different?" He stays silent. I sigh. "Look, Austin. I have no idea why, but I care about you. I'm not like the rest of them, no matter who they are. Can't you just let me in? Give me a chance." I plead.

He shakes his head. "I can't do that. 'Cause in the end, whether you like it or not, you'll ditch me. I'd much rather be alone than get ditched all the time. So again, leave. me. alone. It'll be better for the both of us." He tells me before walking away, leaving me speechless.

* * *

**BAM! Conversation! Not the best, but still! He talked to her!**

**So, what do you think will happen?**

**Do you think Ally will give up?**

**Why do you think Austin outcasted himself?**

**And most importantly: Who are 'they'?**

**Stay tuned and review to tell us what you think and try to get the answer to those questions above right! :)**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	6. Guitar Strings

**Hey! Time for chapter 6, by Storygurl16!**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"And, your change is $23.96. Thank you for shopping at Sonic Boom." I say, handing the customer her change, and the bag filled with the items she purchased. She nods, smiles, and walks out of the store.

"Guess who got a job at Pirate Frank's Fish Fry? Where every meal is a paaarrrrty!" Trish exclaims with a pirate accent, walking into the store.

I stifle a giggle. "You?"

She sighs. "Yep. And, this is the worst job ever!"

"Then, why did you apply for it?" I ask, giving her a confused look.

"I have no idea. I'll probably just quit." She says. Just then, a phone starts ringing. "That's mine." Trish pulls out her phone, pressing the answer button, and putting the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

All of the sudden, loud shouting comes from the other end of the  
line. So loud, even I can hear it. Trish pulls the phone away from her ear a bit, until the shouting stops.

"Well, it's not my fault!" She shouts into the receiver. More shouting from the other end. "Fine! I don't care!" She hangs up, and puts her phone back in her pocket.

"Who was that?" I ask, laughing a little.

"My boss." She deadpans. "Just got fired."

"Oh, well, sorry." I apologize, feeling bad for her.

She just shrugs. "Oh, well. I'll just get a job at that new clothing store later. So, what are you doing?"

"Working. What does it look like I'm doing?" I say sarcastically.

"Sounds boring. Well, I'm gonna go. I'll see you later, Ally." She says, waving and walking away.

I just sit and wait for more customers to show up. Wow. Trish is right. This is boring. I wish this store was a little busier. Just then, someone walks in. _Finally!_ I look up, and see the last person I expect to see, walk in.

_Austin_.

I watch as he walks over to the guitar string rack, grabs a pack, and walks to the counter. When he sees me, his eyes widen a bit.

"Hey, Austin." I say, smiling up at him. He sends a quick small smile back, but I can tell it's forced. He tosses the guitar strings on the counter, before pulling out his wallet. A moment passes, before he gives me a confused look.

"How much?" He asks.

"Oh!" I say. I can feel my cheeks turning red. Talk about embarrassing. "$3.67."

He pulls a five dollar bill from his wallet, handing it to me.

"So, uh, do you play guitar?" I ask, while getting his change.

"No." He says awkwardly.

I turn to look at him, stopping my actions. "Then, why are you buying guitar strings, if you don't play the guitar?"

He stiffens a little. "They're, uh, for my…sister."

I walk over to him, giving him his change. "I didn't know you had a sister. Oh, and, $1.33 is your change."

He nods and takes it from me, stuffs it into his wallet, putting it back in his pocket. I pick up the guitar strings off the counter, handing those to him as well.

"Well, see you Monday." I say. He nods and smiles a bit, before walking out of the store. I lean on the counter, putting my hands under my chin. _Man, that boy sure is something…_

* * *

**And... A special treat! An author note from Storygurl16: It's kinda short. Sorry about that. I'll try to make Chapter 8 longer, when it's my turn to write that one.**

**R5AAFan: And... Like the chapter, this was short! Kidding, she's awesome. She doesn't know I posted this as an author note, so shh! ;) And anyway, I just noticed both of us keep writing short chapters, so I really don't blame her.**

**Anyway, keep reviewing! We love them! Oh, and we love you all too, of course! You're all awesome :)**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :P**


	7. The Music Project

**Hey! Sorry it took so long (yes, I have so little of a social life that four days is long for me not updating ;P). I don't really have an excuse, and I don't think I need one... But if I do need one, then I'll go with the fact that the first week back to school has been sort of rough. This chapter has been (obviously, or I wouldn't have had this rant) written by me (R5AAFan).**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"He went to buy guitar strings? Ooh, the world must be coming to an end!" Trish exclaims sarcastically after I tell her what happened at Sonic Boom, the day before.

"Trish, be serious! That must mean the rumour is true! Maybe not exactly in the singing, but he might be into music!" I tell her.

"_Or_, he might've told you the truth and was really getting the strings for his sister."

"No, he wasn't. It was obvious that he was lying!"

"Whatever, I don't get the point of this conversation at all."

I roll my eyes. "If he's into music, maybe I can set something up so that he'll open up to me through music."

"One question: Are you into music?"

I nod. "Yeah. I mean, my dad _does _own a music store."

"Yeah, good point. So, what are you going to do to get him to talk, this time?"

I shrug. "I might already have the plan put into action..."

* * *

"Alright, class! For the next week, we're going to do a project." The music teacher, Mr. Johnson, announces. I beam, knowing that he took my suggestion in consideration and applied it.

"Is it in groups?" Cassidy asks.

"It'll be in groups of two. And before anyone asks, _I'm_ the one pairing you up." The class groans and I mentally cheer. "For next monday, you'll have to pick a song and perform it infront of the whole class. You guys need to practice a lot and make it perfect. Alright, let's get teamed up. Cassidy and Dallas, Elliot and Ethan, Brooke and Kira, Trish and Dez, Austin and Ally..." I stop listening and look around for Austin, only to find him sitting alone in the back. I pick up my stuff and go sit next to him.

"Hey." I greet him.

"Hi." He greet back in a monotone voice, not glancing at me.

"So, do you have a song in mind?"

He shrugs. "Not really. Do you?"

"Hmm... Barbie Girl?" I joke, hoping to at least make him smile. I'm pleased as I notice a small smile threatening to appear on his lips.

"No way."

"Can you rap?"

"Hmm... I could try. Why?"

"Why not Stereo Heart?"

"I don't know. We could try. You'd sing and I'd rap?"

"You can have some of the singing parts too. I'm not too founded in singing infront of an audience."

"How come?"

I shrug. "I used to sing on a stage every chance I got. I stopped a while ago and I guess I lost the feelings of confidence I had on stage by doing so."

"That's too bad."

"Nah, I got over it."

"Well, you'll still sing with me. Wait... are you any good?"

I shrug. "I guess. Are you?"

"Never really performed infront of anybody."

"But do you sing?" I ask him. This could be the moment to know if the rumour is true!

"In the shower." His tone is so... plain. I don't even know if he's joking or not. There's no emotion in his voice when he talks. Like he lost all of it. The more I seem to get closer to Austin, the more I want to know about him. He's just so mysterious. It's so tempting to discover it... him.

I roll my eyes. "Do you sing anywhere _other_ than the shower?"

"My room when my gr-... parents aren't listening." Is it me or he was about to say 'grandparents'? Oh, well. Maybe his grandparents live with him or something.

"Why? They don't know you sing or something like that?"

"Something like that."

"Does your sister know?" I ask him. _Maybe he'll forget his lie and reveal the truth to me._

A look of pure confusion appears on his features. "My sister?" He frowns for a moment before a lightbulb seems to lit up in his head. "Oh! Umm... Yeah. But I don't play infront of her."

"Austin, you can stop lying. I know the guitar strings weren't for your sister. In fact, I'm pretty sure you don't have a sister."

"How do you know?"

I shoot him a look. "You're a really bad liar, you know?"

He nods and looks away. I sigh and look down at my notebook while he begins to ignore my presence once again. _Maybe getting Austin to open up isn't going to be that easy, after all._

* * *

**So... Yeah. Not a lot to say except that the project's going to be a part of Auslly. Well, duh, I wouldn't write it for no reason! Anyway... review!**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan :)**


	8. Freak and Bitches

**Hey guys! Wassup?! Sorry, it's 11:30PM and I feel like it's nine. Don't ask why, I don't even know myself.**

**ANYWAY, this chapter was written by Storygurl16! She said she'd write a long chapter for chapter 8, and she did! Litterally, she had to send it to me in three parts since it didn't fit in one PM. This is honestly my favorite chapter of all until now. I guess I'll have to write a long chapter for chapter 9... I honestly suck at writing long chapters.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story. The song used was Clocks by Coldplay.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Hey, Ally." Dez says, as he walks up to my locker.

I turn around and smile at him. "Hey, Dez. Where's Trish?"

"Oh, she had to stay after class with Ms. Williams to talk about her horrible grade in Math." Dez says, rolling his eyes and chuckling. I shake my head, a small smile forming on my lips. _What am I ever going to do with that girl?_

"So, are you ready for an _awesome_ day in gym class?" He asks.

I scoff. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

Dez laughs. "Alright, well…see you there." With that, he walks off in the direction of the gym. I turn back to my locker and grab my gym bag. I close the locker door and head off to a horrible day of gym.

* * *

I walk into the gym after changing, and see Cassidy and Kira in there, talking. They see me, and Cassidy smiles evily. Well, at least that's how it looks to me.

"Oh, hi, Ally!" She exclaims, a little too enthusiastically.

I roll my eyes. "What do you want?"

"Hey, no need to get sassy. I just wanna talk." She says, crossing her arms across her chest.

"And, what would you like to talk about?" I ask, mimicking her actions.

"Weeeellll…it involves the freak you've been hanging out with." She says, her smile getting more…evil, if that's even possible.

"Freak? What freak?" I ask, clueless as to what she's trying to say.

She rolls her eyes. "Austin, duh! Who else would we be talking about?"

Why would she say something like that? Austin's not a freak. The anger that's balled up inside me, suddenly just bursts out, totally out of my control. "Listen here, Cassidy!" I snap. "I don't know who you think you are, but Austin is not a freak. He just doesn't like to talk to people! You know, you should really spend time getting to know people before you jump to conclusions."

Kira scoffs, stepping in front of Cassidy. "You listen here, slut! You don't talk to Cassidy like that. She's, like, really popular. And, like, you're not supposed to, like, talk to her that way. So, like, stop!"

I burst out laughing, earning confused looks from both of them. "Wow, you're calling me a slut? Like, the nerve!" I mimic her. When girls say 'like' about five times in a sentence, it really gets on my nerves. "You're the one that's a slut, considering you've probably slept with almost every guy at this school!" Kira's mouth gapes open, while Cassidy just has an angry look on her face. I continue my rant. "Now, I suggest you two leave Austin alone, or things are not gonna be pretty. Oh, and Kira, sweetie, like, close your mouth. You're gonna catch, like, flies." With that, I turn around and walk out of the gym, smiling at my victory.

As I turn the corner, I bump into someone, causing me to fall to the floor with a loud thud. I look up to see Austin standing there.

"Oh, um…Hi." I say sheepishly, getting up off the floor. "Did you hear all of that?"

He nods. I look down, trying to hide the blush that has formed on my cheeks. A beat passes.

"Thanks." I hear him say.

I look up, a confused look on my face. "For what?"

"For defending me. You're the first person that's ever done that." He says quietly.

"Really?" I ask, a look of surprise plastered on my face.

"Yeah. So…thanks." He walks away, leaving me standing there.

* * *

"Thank you for shopping at Sonic Boom!" I say cheerfully, as the customer walks out of the store. Just then, Trish walks in.

"Guess who got a job at Terry's Tiaras?" She asks in monotone, a look of boredom on her face.

"I'm guessing you, and I'm also guessing you're not too happy about it." I say, giggling.

She walks up to the counter and leans on it. "Man, this job is worse than when I had a job at Pirate Frank's Fish Fry! And, that's saying something because that job was absolutely horrible!"

"I'm sure it's not that bad." I tell her. She narrows her eyes at me, causing me to raise my arms in surrender. "Okay, maybe it is."

"So, how's it going with Operation 'GATT'?" She asks, changing the subject.

"Trish, that already happened. Operation 'GATT' is over. And, let me tell you, it was a success!" I say, pretending to pop my collar.

Trish just rolls her eyes. "Okay, then what's going on now?"

"Well, now it's just Operation 'GATOUTMSTWCBF'." I say, putting my hands on my hips.

"What?" Trish asks, completely confused.

I sigh dramatically. "Operation 'Get Austin To Open Up To Me So That We Can Be Friends'."

"Wow." She says, shaking her head. "So, how's that going?"

"Well, it's not very easy. I'm going to need to put a lot of work into this one." I say.

"Oh! I almost forgot! So, I heard that you stood up to Cassidy and Kira today." Trish says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, yeah. I did." I brag. "But, it was because they were calling Austin a freak, and I was just trying to defend him. But, after I did, I found Austin in the hallway outside the gym and-"

"Wait, back up. This was in gym class?" I nod, and Trish huffs. "Stupid Ms. Williams."

I laugh, and Trish motions for me to continue.

"So, anyway, I asked if he had heard everything, and he nodded. It was just silence after that, until he thanked me for defending him. He told me that nobody's ever done that before. I find that weird." I explain, finishing up my story.

"Well, considering that he doesn't talk to anyone, I'm assuming that's why no one defends him for things like that." Trish states.

"That's true. Well, I gotta close up and head home. Dad's making his famous spaghetti for dinner tonight." I say, licking my lips.

"Alright. See ya, Ally!" Trish says, walking out of the store. I grab the key to the store from under the counter. I lock the door and head home. Boy, do I have a mystery to solve…

* * *

**_The next day..._**

"Dad?" I shout, as I walk into the house. Today was okay at school. Cassidy tried to talk to me again. I just ignored her. How could she call Austin a freak like she did yesterday? I guess I'll never understand.

When my dad doesn't answer, I walk into the kitchen and find a note on the counter. I pick it up curiously.

_Ally,  
Gone to the store to pick up groceries. Leftovers are in the fridge.  
-Dad-  
_  
I sigh, crumpling up the note and throwing it in the trash. I walk over to the fridge, and just as I'm about to open it, the doorbell rings. _I wonder who that could be._ I walk over to the front door, and open it. My eyes widen in shock and confusion.

"Austin? What are you doing here?" I ask, beyond confused.

"Hey." He says quietly. "Can I come in?"

"Um…sure." I say, moving out of the way to let him in. He walks in the door, looking around the house. "Alright, um…not to be rude or anything, but…how in the heck do you know where I live?"

"Trish." He states.

I nod. "Well, what's going on? What are you doing here?"

He sighs, sitting on the couch in the living room. I sit down next to him, looking at him with concern.

"Um…I, uh, was wondering what we were gonna do with the song for music class." He says, looking at the floor.

"Oh. Well, what were you thinking?" I ask.

"I don't know. I was kinda hoping you'd have an idea." He says, smiling a bit.

I stifle a giggle. "Well, okay. You're in luck. I do have an idea."

"What is it?" He asks, looking up at me.

"Instead of performing 'Stereo Heart', I think we should write a song to perform." I say, hoping he'll agree.

"Write a song? Why?" He asks.

I sigh. "I'll let you in on a little secret, okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright, so, believe it or not, I write songs." I tell him.

A surprised look covers his face. "Really?"

"Yeah." I say, smiling at him.

He smiles back. "That's really cool."

I nod. "Thanks. Well, let's go work on the song. Come on."

I lead him downstairs to the basement, where my music room is. I turn to face him, and bring my arms out from my sides, gesturing to the room. "Well, here it is." I say, slapping my arms back to my sides. He looks around, and by the look on his face, I can tell he likes what he sees.

"This is pretty cool." He says, spinning around to get one last look at the place.

"Thanks. Now, we should probably get started." I say.

He nods. "So, what instrument are we gonna use for this song?"

"I was thinking piano, but I also like the guitar." I explain.

"I like the piano. Let's use that." He says, gesturing to the black baby grand piano behind me.

* * *

"I really think this is gonna work, Austin!" I exclaim, turning to look at him and smiling.

"Me, too." He says.

"Okay, I think we should practice it one more time today before we call it quits." I say, laying my hands back onto the ivory keys of the baby grand. He nods, putting his hands on the piano, too. "Wait. I have a question for you."

"Yeah?" He says, motioning for me to go on.

I take my hands off the keys and turn towards him, straddling the piano bench. He mimics me. "Well, it's more of a story and a question. Anyways, so a few days ago, Trish told me that she overheard Cassidy and Kira talking about you." Austin rolls his eyes at this. "Let me continue. Anyway, so she told me that they said that you sing and are really into music, but it stopped at the same time you stopped talking to people. Well, at first I didn't believe it was true. But then, when you-"

"Is there a point to this?" Austin interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shush, and let me finish!" I exclaim, before continuing. "Aaaannnyway, so when I saw you at Sonic Boom the other day, I started to believe that maybe what Trish told me was true. Well, except for the stopping when you stopped talking thing. I started to believe that maybe, just maybe, you still secretly liked music. And, then there's today. I've already heard you sing, Austin, and you are amazing with a capital 'A'! And, you can play the piano! So, here's my question. Why did you lie about all that stuff?"

Austin sighs, uncrossing his arms, and looking at the floor. "I really don't wanna talk about it. Can we just practice the song now?"

I sigh. "Um…sure."

I put my hands back on the keys, as does he, and we start playing the intro to our newly written song. I have a frown on my face. I hate that he won't open up to me. I start to sing on my cue.

_Ally_/**Austin**/**_Both_**

_The lights go out and I can't be saved  
Tides that I tried to swim against  
Have brought me down upon my knees  
Oh I beg, I beg and plead singing  
_  
_Come out of things unsaid  
Shoot an apple off my head  
And a trouble that can't be named  
A tiger's waiting to be tamed singing_

You are  
You are

**Confusion never stops  
Closing walls and ticking clocks  
Gonna come back and take you home  
I could not stop that you now know singing**

Come out upon my seas  
Cursed missed opportunities  
Am I a part of the cure?  
Or am I part of the disease? Singing

You are  
You are

**_You are  
You are_**

_**And nothing else compares  
And nothing else compares  
And nothing else compares**_

You are  
You are  
  
_Home, home where I wanted to go_

**Home, home where I wanted to go**

**_Home, home where I wanted to go  
Home, home where I wanted to go_**

We finish the song with the outro. After the last chord is played, I turn to Austin.

"That was good." I say, smiling a bit.

"Cool. Well, I gotta go. See ya." He says, getting up from the piano bench and heading up the stairs. _Austin-I don't know your middle name-Moon, I will figure out your mysteriousness. Is that even a word? Oh, well. I am not giving up on him. No one can stop me._

No one.

* * *

**Whoo! That was long! I say congrats to Storygurl16 for making the first (and probably last ;P) long chapter of Believe Me! Woohoo! :)**

**Well, review!**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	9. Austin's Back-Up Story

**Hey! So, this is it! You'll finally know what's up with Austin! Yay!**

**Sorry it took so long, I've been really busy lately. I wanted to update but I was loaded with homework.**

**I wrote this chapter (R5AAFan).**

**Oh! And some of you might have noticed we changed thes summary... Sorry about that, but we like this one more.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Hey, guys." I sit down at Trish's and Dez's table at lunch.

"Umm... Not to be rude, but why aren't you sitting with Austin?" Trish asks me.

"He had to talk with the math teacher. Something to do with the last test we did." I explain and they nod. "So, who's it going?"

Dez shrugs. "Good. My pet turtle, Mrs. Green, had babies!"

I smile, getting used to Dez's... unusual behavior. "That's great, Dez! How many?"

"Five!"

I nod. "That's cool. Are you going to keep them?"

"Duh." He says like it's the most obvious thing in the world, rolling his eyes.

"Alright... Anyway, does any of you know where Austin lives?" I ask them.

"Six houses down the street from yours, across the street." Trish says without hesitation.

"How do you know that?" I ask her.

"School files."

I roll my eyes. "Should've figured." I mumble.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" I reply quickly.

"Uh huh. Anyway, why did you want to know?"

"Well, since we don't have music class until the due date for the project, which is in three days, I figured I'd go to his house and practice the song one more time with him." I explain. "He went to my house a bit more than a week ago, so I thought I'd do the same."

"How do you know he has the needed instruments for the song?" Trish asks me.

"... I just do." I end up replying.

* * *

"Hey, Dad! I'm home!" I call as I throw my back pack on the nearest chair. "Dad, I'm going out!"

"Wait a minute." My dad's voice stops me. I turn around to find him standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Where are you going?"

"At my friend's house."

"Boy or girl?"

I roll my eyes. "Boy."

"Tall or short?"

"Seriously?" I give him a look. He ignores it and I sigh. "Tall."

"Brunette or blondie?"

"Dad, come on! This is ridiculous!" I protest.

"Answer." He tells me simply.

"This is going to take a while, isn't it?" I ask him. He nods. "Well, better get comfortable, then." I sigh, sitting on the couch. He does the same.

"Now, answer. Brunette or blondie?"

"Blondie. Why all these questions?"

"Because I want my daughter to be safe. I don't want her to go to some pervert's house."

"Trust me, Austin's the furthest thing from a pervert."

"How could you know? It's been less than two weeks since we got here. How could you know him that well after only a week and a few days?"

"Because I do. Can I go now?"

"No. What colour are his eyes?"

I sigh in annoyance. "Really?" He nods. "Brown."

"How many friends does he have?"

"One."

"A boy or a girl?"

"A girl."

"What's her name?"

"Allyson Dawson. Can I go now?"

"Wait... you're his only friend?"

"Yes, Dad. He got outcasted years ago and didn't have any friends since second grade. Now before he thinks I outcasted him too, can I go?"

He sighs. "Fine.

"Thank you." I nod and get up.

"I'll call you in ten minutes!" He calls as I leave.

"Dad!"

* * *

_'Six houses down the street from yours, across the street'_, Trish's voice rings in my head.

_'One, two, three, four, five... six! Across the street... Oh, there it is'_, I think to myself, easily finding Austin's house. It's a pretty big white house with a brown roof. There's a bunch of flowers a bit everywhere. I notice a garden on the side of the house. _'His mom must like gardening.'_

I walk the steps to the porch and knock on the door. An old women answers a few seconds later.

"Oh, hello, there." She greets me with a smile.

"Hi. Sorry to intrude... Is this Austin Moon's house?" I ask her as kindly as I can.

"Oh, yes. Not to seem rude, but who are you, Darling?"

I smile. "Ally. I'm a..." I hesitate. Acquaintance? Friend? What's our label? Do we even _have_ a label? "... a friend of Austin's." I end up saying. 'Friends' seem like the correct term at the moment.

"Oh, a friend?" I nod. "Well, come on in. I'll go get Austin." She opens the door wider, letting me in, before closing it and disappearing downstairs. I take this as my chance to take a look at my surroundings. There's a wall full of pictures, which catches my attention. I take a look at the pictures, which all have Austin at different ages, his blonde hair being easy to recognize, but it doesn't seem to have any pictures of Austin's parents. Only Austin and an old man and the woman I just met. Austin's grandparents? Or are Austin's parents just old?

"Don't look at that." A voice takes me from my thoughts. I turn around to see Austin standing a few feet away from me.

"Austin... Hi. Sorry, I didn't think it was private. I mean, it _is_ on the wall." I point out.

"It's not private. I just... nevermind."

"No, tell me."

"It's nothing, really."

I sigh. "Alright."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I, uh... came to practice the song with you."

"We already practiced it a million times. We know it perfectly well." He points out.

"One more time won't hurt, will it?"

He sighs. "Fine. One time."

I smile. "Great! Where do we practice?"

"My room. Follow me." He says before walking away. I follow him, only to end up in a small room a few seconds later. It has beige walls, and inside there's only a small bed that seems way too small for him to sleep in, a keyboard, a guitar, a few posters of various bands and singers, and a closet. I swear the room's ten times smaller than mine. And my room's not that big.

"You seriously sleep in here?" I ask him.

He nods. "Yup."

"B-But... how comes everything's so neath and everything everywhere else in the house, and your room is so..." I trail off once I realize I don't know if he likes his room or not.

"You can say it. Trash-like."

"I wouldn't say it that way, but... Yeah."

He shrugs. "Let's just say that me moving here wasn't... expected."

"What are you talking about? Look, Austin. I won't lie to you. I'm lost. I want to help you, become your friend, but how can I do that if you never tell me anything? I won't leave you, if that's what you're fearing. I'm here to stay. I promise."

He shakes his head and sits down at his keyboard. "They all say that."

"Who?! Who says that? Who hurt you? I need to know, Austin. All I want to do is help you." I tell him, sitting down next to him.

"I know." He sighs.

"Then, tell me."

"My mom died when I was six." He begins, staring ahead. This time, I don't mind. Instead, I hang on his every words. "My dad... I guess he never actually cared about me. He put me in an orphanage about two days after her funeral. I stayed there for two years, but they still let me go to school."

"When your mom died... is that when you outcasted yourself?"

"No. But not very long after. I outcasted myself because my dad didn't care about me, my mom died, and my only friend had left and never once replied to any message I send him. I was alone. No one loved me. No one ever did. And no one ever will."

"How do you know?"

"Because I don't believe in love. I never will. Because it doesn't exist."

"Austin, love _does_ exist. You just need to find the right people to express that feeling toward you. Who's that lady upstairs? Your grandma? She took you in, didn't she?"

"She took me in because she had to. She had pity in me. No one wanted me, so she took me in. That's why this room is such a piece of trash. Because as soon as I'm eighteen, she'll tell me to find an appartment and move out. I know it."

I sigh. I never thought Austin's life was _that_ messed up. "Austin, someone will love you, someday. Somewhere out there, someone loves you for who you are. And do you know who that person is?" He shrugs. "Me."

He turns his head and looks at me for the first time. "You?"

"Yes. Is it that hard to believe? If I didn't care about you, I would've gave up on you a long time ago."

He shrugs. "I guess. But that doesn't mean love exists."

"Then I'll have to prove to you that it does."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Just let me in and I'll prove you wrong."

* * *

**BAM! There you go! Wow, Austin's life pretty bad, isn't it? None of you expected that, did you? Hehe, I planned this with Storygurl16 a while ago, about in the third chapter or so. We just needed to find where to put it. But here it is! His back-up story!**

**Please review! We've almost reached a hundred! Keep it up! Thanks to every single one of you who takes the time to tell us what you think! It means a lot.**

**The next chapter might take a while to update because Storygurl16 thinks she broke a bone in her ring finger, so she has trouble typing.**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16**


	10. Cleaning My Pool, Just Like Friends Do

**Hey, guys!**

**Storygurl16 apologizes for the long wait. Like said in last chapter, not only did she kind of broke her finger (don't know how that's going, though), but she got grounded as well. That's the reason for the long wait. On the bright side, she wrote a long chapter to make it up for it ;)**

**Anyway, Storygurl16 wrote this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"So, how's GAOPLZSTFQS going?" Trish asks, leaning against the counter.

Trish and I are currently at Sonic Boom, where I am working my ten hour long shift. I usually only work five hours on Saturdays, but my dad is at some musical convention until Monday, so I'm stuck working both shifts. Thank goodness tomorrow is Sunday, though. The store is closed on Sundays.

"It's GATOUTMSWCBF, not...whatever you said." I explain, rolling my eyes at my Latina friend.

"Whatever. So, how's _that_ going?" She asks, putting emphasis on 'that.'

"Actually, I finished it." I brag, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Really?" Trish asks, completely thrown off.

"Yup."

Trish just shakes her head quickly. "Well, what's the next plan?"

"Okay, so you can't tell this to anyone. Not even Dez, Trish! Promise?" I say, sticking my pinky out towards her.

She links her pinky with mine. "Promise."

"Okay, well..." I begin, looking around the store to make sure no one is listening. I turn back to Trish and tell her the whole story.

"Wow... aw, that's so sad." She says.

I nod. "I know. I feel so bad for him. It just makes me want to help him even more. So, my new plan is-"

"GATBIL?" Trish interrupts.

"See, you're getting the hang of it!" I exclaim.

"Whatever." She replies, shaking her head at me.

I reach under the counter and take out my beloved songbook.

_Dear Diary/Songbook,_

So, GATOUTMSWCBF is finally accomplished! Now, for the hardest mission of them all...Operation 'GATBIL,' or Operation 'Get Austin To Believe In Love.' I can't believe he doesn't believe in something like that. Love does exist. And I need to show him that it does.

XOXO -Ally-

* * *

_RIIIINNNGG...RIIIINNNGG...RIIIINNNGG...RII-_

"Hello?"

"Jeez! How long does it take you to answer a phone?" I ask.

"Well, sooorry! I was in the shower." He says.

"Oh." I mutter.

"Well, what do you want?" He asks.

"Be rude, why don't ya?"

"My pleasure."

I roll my eyes. "Shut up, Austin. Anyway, I'm calling because I was wondering if you wanted to come over and hang out or something."

"And do what?" He asks.

"Um...well, you could help me clean out my pool..." I say slowly and cautiously.

I hear him chuckle. "And why would I do that?"

"Because we're friends, and that's what friends do for each other. They help each other out." I tell him.

"We're friends?" He asks.

"Yeah, of course. Why?" I ask, cocking my head to the side, even though he can't see me.

"I don't know. It's just...been a while." He sighs.

"What do you mean?"

He sighs again. "I'll be over in five."

"O-Okay." I choke out.

He hangs up. "Bye." I mumble into the dead receiver.

I set my phone down on my nightstand. _Well, this should be interesting..._

* * *

_Ding Dong!_

Well, here we go...

I open the door to find Austin standing there with his head down.

"Hi." He mutters.

"Hey." I reply, moving aside to let him in. He steps inside, and I follow him into the living room. "So, are you ready?" As you can see, I'm sort of trying to get through this awkward moment.

"Ready for what?" He asks, cocking his head to the side.

I giggle at his cute action. Now, don't get me wrong here. I do find Austin extremely cute, but he's just a friend.

I walk over to the pool supply closet, and pull out the two pool cleaning filter things that are in there. I turn back to Austin, and toss one towards him. He looks at me, confused.

"We're cleaning the pool, silly!" I say, ruffling his hair, and walking towards the back door of the house. He groans, causing me to roll my eyes.

"But, I don't wanna!" He whines.

"Don't be whiny, Austin!" I shout.

"I am not being whiny!" He whines again.

I roll my eyes for probably the fiftieth time today. Okay, yeah, I'm exaggerating, but you catch my drift. I turn back around to face Austin, jumping when I see he's right in front of me. I set my pool cleaner thing against the wall.

"Did I scare you?" He chuckles.

"A little. But, that's besides the point. What do I have to do to make you help me clean the pool?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips. He narrows his eyes a bit and rubs his chin, pretending to think. I roll my eyes, and walk away. Before I can get out the back door, I feel him grab my wrist. A tingly feeling shoots through my arm, causing me to shiver. He spins me around, so I'm facing him.

"I got it!" He says, letting go of my wrist. The feeling instantly disappears. _Well, that's weird..._

"What?" I ask.

He smiles widely. "Make me pancakes."

"Pancakes?" I question, a little baffled.

"Pancakes." He confirms, licking his lips.

"But, why?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because pancakes are the most delicious food _ever_!" He exclaims, flailing his arms around for emphasis.

"I don't know, Austin. I really don't want to make a mess in the kitchen. Do you know how mad my dad would be?" I rant.

"Please?" He asks, jutting his lower lip out a bit. His eyes get slightly bigger.

I believe this is what they call the 'puppy dog face.' Ugh, I have to resist it. But, he just looks so damn adorable!

"Pwease, Ally?" He mumbles, his facial expression staying the same. _Oh, god! This is torture!_

I sigh dramatically, slapping my arms back to my sides. Fine."

That's all it takes for him to wrap his arms around me tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He exclaims, his death grip on me getting tighter, if that's even possible.

"Can't...breathe..." I manage to choke out.

He quickly lets go, smiling sheepishly at me. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Now, if I'm not mistaken, we have a pool to clean." I say, grabbing my pool cleaner thing, and walking out the back door to the backyard, Austin following closely behind me. I take off the cover to the pool, leaving only the bug and leaf littered water to look at.

"Ew." I hear Austin say from beside me.

"Yeah, 'ew' is right." I reply, not taking my eyes off the disgusting water. "Well, come on. It ain't gonna clean itself."

"I wish it would." Austin mumbles, following me to the side of the pool.

* * *

About half an hour in, we're only about halfway done.

"This. Is. So. _Boring_!" Austin whines, setting the pool cleaner thing on the ground.

I sigh loudly. "Will you please stop whining? You've been complaining since we started."

"Because it's boring!" he exclaims.

"Austin, it's really not that bad." I assure him.

"Yes it is!" He pouts, crossing his arms over his chest like a five year old would.

"You're acting like a child!" I exclaim.

"I am not!"

I sigh for the hundredth time today. Again, I'm exaggerating. "Fine. We can take a quick break."

"Yes!" He shouts, pumping his fist in the air.

This makes me giggle. "Well, let's go inside for a bit. I believe we have some pancake business to take care of."

He laughs a bit. "Pancake business?"

"Whatever." I sigh, shaking my head kindheartedly. I make my way towards the house, Austin following close behind. Once we get to the kitchen, I turn towards him, a serious look on my face. "Okay, mister. I have a few rules you have to follow."

He groans loudly. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." I confirm. "Rule number one: No making messes. Rule two: If you do make a mess, then you must clean it up. Rule three-"

"Come on, Ally. You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Austin interrupts.

"I am most certainly not kidding!" I exclaim.

He crosses his arms over his chest. "Don't make me do it , Ally."

"Do what?" I ask, completely confused.

"The face." He states.

My eyes widen and then narrow. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." His bottom lip juts out for the second time today, along with his eyes getting bigger.

"Oh, god..." I mutter, looking at the floor.

"Come on. You know you can't resist it." He taunts.

I close my eyes, so I won't risk the urge to look at him.

"Fine. If that won't work...I have another plan." He says mischievously.

I open my eyes to find him slowly walking towards me, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"So, uh, Ally. Are you ticklish?" He asks, still walking towards me. Each step he takes towards me, I take a step back.

"N-no. Why w-would you t-think that?" I stutter, starting to get a little nervous as to what he might do. Just as I say this, my back hits the wall behind me. Damn, I'm trapped. I glance at the floor, then back at Austin, to see that he's smirking a little now. This is so weird. I never expected Austin to have a mischievous side. Or a childish one, as seen earlier. It's just so...different.

"Are you sure about that? You don't seem so sure." He says, now right in front of me.

"I'm p-positive." I say, gulping and darting my eyes around the room nervously.

"Well, I might just have to test it...just to make sure." He mumbles.

"Austin-" I start to say, but get interrupted by Austin reaching out and tickling my sides. I scream out in laughter. "A-Austin! S-stop it!"

He smiles widely. "Never!"

I'm trying to catch my breath, but I can't because I'm laughing too hard. I lose my balance, and collapse onto the floor, Austin still tickling me. I reach down and try to pry his hands off my sides, but it's no use. He's too strong. "P-please! I'm b-begging you!"

"I'll stop. Under one condition." He says. "You have to say, 'Austin Moon is the most awesomest and hottest guy in the whole entire universe!"

"No!" I shout, still in a fit of giggles.

"Say it!" He exclaims, tickling me harder.

I try my hardest to squirm out of his grasp, but fail miserably. "I w-will not s-say it!"

He smirks again. "Well, I guess I can't stop then, can I?"

By now, I feel like my lungs are going to burst from the lack of air. "Fine! I'll s-say it!" I say breathlessly.

"Okay. Go ahead." He says.

"Austin Moon is the most awesomest, which by the way isn't a way to say it, and hottest guy in the whole entire universe!" I shout quickly, gasping for air after.

He stops tickling me. "There. Now, was that so hard?"

"It was excruciating." I say, causing him to laugh, which makes me laugh as well. After the laughing subsides, we just stare at each other. I start to get this tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach, just like the one I felt in my arm earlier. Before I can figure out what it is, Austin shakes his head quickly, and looks away. This makes the weird feeling disappear from my stomach. He gets up off the floor, and offers his hand to help me up. I gladly take it, and he pulls me up off the floor.

"Uh...I gotta go." He says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He turns around and heads for the front door. I follow him into the living room and grab his wrist, turning him towards me.

"But, what about the pancakes?" I ask. He's trying to avoid eye contact with me. I can tell, because he's looking at the floor.

"Rain check?" He asks.

I sigh. "Okay."

With that, he walks out the front door, not saying another word. I watch him through my window, as he walks down the street. When he's finally out of sight, I walk to the backyard to finish cleaning the pool. I have a bad feeling tomorrow is going to be very awkward at school between Austin and I...

* * *

**Well, here you go! Long chapter for you. Thank Storygurl16 for that ;)**

**Please review and tell us what you think! As Storygurl16 said, what do you think of 'Austin's other side'?**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	11. Why?

**Hey, guys! Happy February! Sorry it took so long, but we're back with a new chapter for you! *Cue cheers***

**Who saw the promo for Princesses & Prices? I'm so excited for this episode. Then again, I'm always excited for new Austin & Ally episodes :P**

**Oh! And did you guys know? If you have iTunes, just so you know that Timeless, You Can Come to Me, The Me That You Don't See, and I Got That Rock n' Roll are coming out on the 11th! I was so happy when I saw that! Oh, and the Austin & Ally mash-up from Glee Clubs & Glory is also out! I bought it :P**

**I wrote this chapter (R5AAFan).**

**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! You're all awesome :)**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"So, he just left?" Trish asks me as I tell her the whole story, the next morning.

I nod. "Yup."

"Do you think he's starting to have feelings for you? I mean, it would explain a bit. Not all of it, but still." Dez says. Dez still doesn't know about Austin's past, but he knows Austin doesn't believe in love. One thing I'm glad for is that he didn't ask any questions when he learned. That was such a relief for me.

"No, Austin doesn't believe in love. Of course he doesn't have any feelings for me." I protest.

"You don't know that for sure." Trish points out. "Maybe he told you the truth and he doesn't believe in love. But you don't need to _believe_ in love to love someone. Sometimes, you just can't help how you feel."

"And when Austin's the main subject, you just can't figure anything out." I finish.

"I wasn't going to say it that way, but... Yeah, pretty much." She nods.

I sigh. "What should I do?"

"I think the best thing to do is take things slow. Don't rush anything, but don't let him shut you out." Trish tells me.

"You could also bring him some pancakes." Dez points out. **(Shoutout to Lilyfanficlover for the idea)**

"I'm not going to bring pancakes at school." I tell him slowly.

He shrugs. "Your call."

I roll my eyes and turn back to Trish. "How do I take things slow but don't let him shut me out? It's impossible."

"No, it's not! Just be his friend again. He'll open up to you at some point."

I let out a sigh. "Fine. I guess I don't have another choice."

* * *

At lunch, I notice Austin isn't sitting at his usual table. Confused, I back out of the cafeteria and start looking for him.

After looking through the whole school, I decide to text him.

_To: Austin  
Where are you?_

I keep walking around until my phone buzzes.

_From: Austin  
Somewhere... Nowhere_

_To: Austin  
Wow, thanks Austin, that's really helping_

_From: Austin  
Why do you want to know where I am?_

_To: Austin  
To talk to you. Are you avoiding me?_

_From: Austin  
Why would I avoid you?_

_To: Austin  
I don't know! You rushed out of my house Sunday, and you didn't talk to me at all today! What am supposed to think?_

_From: Austin  
Sorry... I just had a lot on my mind_

_To: Austin  
I'll forgive you... If you tell me where you are_

_From: Austin  
I have no idea why your forgiveness is so important to me_

_To: Austin  
Because I'm your friend. And whether you like it or not, you love me ;)_

_From: Austin  
Ally..._

_To: Austin  
Chill, I'm kidding! Now, tell me where you are_

_From: Austin  
Fine, I'm at the park_

_To: Austin  
Stay where you are, I'm coming_

_From: Austin  
Yes, Master_

I roll my eyes and am about to put my phone back in my pocket when it buzzes again.

_From: Austin  
That was sarcasm, by the way_

I roll my eyes, but text back anyway.

_To: Austin  
I know, Austin. I know._

I put my phone back in my pocket and run all the way to the park. Good thing it's not really far. Once I get there, I sit down next to him on the bench where I find him. I stay silent. I know better than forcing him to speak. It's better if he does it on his own. And he does.

"Why?" He asks, breaking the silence.

I frown, looking over at him. He's not looking at me. He's staring ahead, showing no signs of emotion. "Why what?"

"Why did you stick by me, even though I pushed you away so many times? Why are you always coming back?" His tone isn't harsh. Just... full of wonder.

"You need to learn not to always push people away, Austin. I stuck by you because I knew you needed a friend. And you still do. Maybe you don't _want_ one, but you _need_ one. Everybody does. I always come back because I need you. Just like you need me. You might not believe me, but we need each other."

"Why? Why do you need me? I'm no use. I'm just... me. The guy who outcasted himself and shut everyone out. The guy whose mom died. The guy whose father put in an orphanage. The guy whose grandmother took him in because no one else would. The freak."

I stare at him, trying to understand what's going on in that head of his. I try to find any kind of sadness, but find nothing but anger. I can tell he's upset too.

I shake my head and sigh. "I need you because you're you. _That's_ why. Because I found myself... unexplicably attached to you in some way. Because you're one of the rare people who understand how I feel about music. And for the record, you're not a freak. You just have a rough past, and I can't blame you for that."

He nods, silently telling me he understands. Understands what? No idea. Maybe my point. "Thanks, Ally. I-I know I may be difficult sometimes, but I'm glad you stayed by me. I'll never thank you enough for that."

"It's not like I had to. I wanted to. And Austin?" He looks at me. "Forget the others. They're just missing out on the great person you are."

"Thanks." He surprises me by hugging me. One thing I never thought Austin would do. But he's not the same person I met that first day of school. He's different. Good different. After getting over my shock, I hug him back tightly, wondering if we'll ever be in this position again.

"So, does that mean you believe in love, now?" I ask him as we pull away.

He chuckles, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "No way."

I roll my eyes, a small smile forming on my lips. "Worth a try."

He may claim not to believe in love, but I know he's lying. No one can not believe in love. And whether he likes it or not, I'll do whatever it takes to make him believe. Whether it's in friendship, love, or anything else, I won't give up.

Austin Moon, I'll make you believe. I don't know in what, but I'll make you believe. Be ready.

I'm coming.

* * *

**The end... of this chapter.**

**Again, thanks for all the reviews, guys! Keep it up! It means a lot to the both of us.**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 ;)**


	12. Trustworthy Or Not

**Hey! What's up, guys?!**

**You're all probably going to be mad at us for this chapter (Storygurl16 for writing it and me for agreeing to it), but every story has to have a twist at some point, or it gets boring.**

**Storygurl16 wrote this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Beep! Beep! Beep! Be-

I hit the snooze button and spring out of bed. I run to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed as fast as I possibly can. Wanna know why I'm so hyper? It's Wednesday. My favorite day of the week. Happy Hump Day, world! I don't know why I love Wednesday's so much. I just…do. It just seems like the environment is happy and lively on Wednesday's. They're the best.

* * *

"Why are you so jittery, Ally?" Trish asks me, as I'm shoving books in my locker as fast as I can.

"It's Wednesday." I say in a 'duh' tone.

"So?" Dez asks.

"What do you mean, 'so'?" I ask, tilting my head at him.

He shrugs. "Just seems like a normal day to me. I don't know what's so special about it."

I look at him incredulously. "Just a normal day?" I shake my head and turn back to my locker, not in the mood to start an argument. "Nevermind."

Dez looks at Trish and shrugs.

"Hey, Ally, did you finish-" Trish starts.

"Hey, look, Cassidy. It's, like, the freak's, like, 'friend.'" Kira says, walking over to us with Cassidy.

I cross my arms over my chest. "What do you two want?"

"Sweetie, come on. Why are you still hanging out with that freak?" Cassidy says, putting her hand on my shoulder.

I push her hand off, and point an angry finger at her. "I already told you this, Cassidy. Austin is not a freak! Stop calling him that!"

She just ignores my rant. "So, uh, Ally, sweetie. Me and Kira, here, heard an interesting story you were telling Curly on Saturday at Sonic Boom."

"My name is Trish!" Trish shouts from behind me.

"What story?" I ask, my heart rate speeding up a bit.

"Well, it was something about Austin living with his grandma and being an orphan or something." She says, rubbing her chin, and looking up at the ceiling.

I feel sick to my stomach. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

Cassidy looks back at me, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, I did. And I already messaged it to the, whole. Entire. School."

My jaw drops. "What the hell, Cassidy!? That was none of your business!" I point my finger at her again. "Why would you do something like that!?"

"Revenge." She says, shrugging her shoulders, and walking off, Kira trailing behind her.

I turn back to Trish and Dez. "What am I gonna do? This is serious! Austin probably knows about it, and he's going to hate me! I didn't think anyone was listening to that conversation! I looked around the store to make sure…twice!"

"I'm sorry, Ally." Dez says, and walks off. Rude much?

"What are you gonna do?" Trish asks me.

I shake my head and look at the floor. "I have no idea."

"Seriously, Ally!?" I hear a voice shout from behind me. A voice that is all too familiar…

I turn around to find a very furious Austin towering over me. I quickly look down at the floor. "I'm sorry. Cassidy and Kira overheard me talking to Trish! It really wasn't my fault!" I look back up at him. I regret it instantly.

"Not your fault!? You weren't supposed to tell anyone that story, not even Trish! I _trusted_ you, Ally!" He yells, getting the attention from other people in the hallway.

"I'm really, truly sorry, Austin! I didn't mean to." I say, glancing at the floor then back up at him. He looks like he's about to cry.

"I can't believe this. I knew it! I knew that I shouldn't let anyone in my life. My gut was telling me not to let anyone back in. Did I listen? No. But I sure as hell should of." He says, and is out of sight in seconds.

"Well, that was not good." Trish says.

I turn back towards her, tears forming in my eyes. "What am I going to do, Trish? He _hates_ me."

"He doesn't hate you, Ally." She says.

The tears spill over and slide down my cheeks. "Did you see how angry he was? He yelled at me, Trish. He basically just said…that he shouldn't have trusted me. He hates me. This is _horrible!_ I don't want him to hate me, Trish! He's a really great friend and I want it to stay that way. Now that this happened, he's probably never going to talk to me again! My life sucks!"

This was probably the worst Wednesday of my entire life!

* * *

**A/N from Storygurl16: Sorry about the short chapter. I wanted to chapter to end the way it did, so I couldn't make it any longer. Hope you don't mind! :)**

**Anyway... review! Please? Even if you hate us? We're both hardcore Auslly shippers, so don't worry too much ;)**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


	13. Old Friend

**Hey, guys! Okay, so most of you didn't want to kill us but wanted to kill one of the characters (there were multiple choices). I'm currently debating with myself whether that's a good thing or a bad thing...**

**Well, you'll probably hate me for this chapter. Prepare your tissues, guys. I honestly cried while writing this chapter. Oh, and there's a huge twist in this chapter too.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you might recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

It's currently the ten minutes break between our first and second class, and one thing has been on my mind ever since this morning. Well, other than Austin being furiously mad with me. Dez has been acting weird, lately. Like, rudely. It's so not like him... I thought he was a sweetheart! What is he hiding?

"Hey, Dez!" I call once I see him standing at his locker.

He turns around as I reach him, eyes wide. "Ally! I-uh... Hey. Umm... Sorry can't talk. Gotta run! See ya!" He starts walking away but I grab his wrist, pulling him with me to an empty spot in the hallway.

"No, you're not getting away with this." I tell him.

"Getting away with what?" He asks, faking innocence.

"Oh, don't act like you don't know. You totally bailed on us after Cassidy's bitchy move! You were rude! What was that about?"

"Nothing! I promise!"

"You know, not keeping promises is really bad."

"Fine!" He exclaims dramatically. "I'll tell you everything. Just... not now, where anyone could hear us. Uh... Join me at the bleachers of the football court behind the school after class. I'll tell you everything then."

"Promise?"

"I swear." He nods before quickly running off. _Am I that scary or is Dez just a scaredy-cat?_

* * *

This day has been the longuest of my entire life! I spent every second trying to think of what secret Dez could be hiding. Is he actually a big nerd acting stupid? That wouldn't make sense for being rude. Is he a thief? Thieves can be rude, right? Right. Is he a murderer? Doubt it. I even thought of the possibility of him being a superhero! Talk about desperate!

When the final bell rings, I quickly gather my things, stuff them into my locker, before speed-walking (if not running) to the bleachers. When I get there, Dez isn't. Either he bailed on me or he's just late.

So I wait.

... Five minutes.

... Ten minutes.

... Fift-

"Sorry, I'm late. Mr. Connely held me back." Dez apologizes as he joins me on the bleachers.

"Whatevers." I cross my arms. "I'm listening."

"Listening to what?"

I roll my eyes. "You. Explain."

"Oh. Right. Well, it all began in elementary school. Austin and I were friends ever since the first day of kindergarten."

"Wait. You and Austin were friends?"

"Yes. Now, will you let me explain without interrupting?"

"Sorry... Continue."

"Alright. Well, in the summer between first and second grade, my family and I moved because my dad's boss was moving him of work place, or whatever it is. I never told Austin because it was breaking my heart to tell my first and only friend that I'd move. Trish moved to Miami in third grade, so she never knew about me being Austin's old friend. Someone told her the story of why Austin had outcasted himself, so that's how she knew. When I moved back, in fourth grade, I tried to be friends with Austin again, but he completely shut me out. I asked Trish what was up with him without giving too much details away, and she told me Austin's story, the same she told you. Well, _we_ told you, I guess. After two weeks of trying to get Austin to open up to me again, I gave up. I know it was a bad decision, but what can I say? I was young, and not a bit as determined as you are. So, I left him alone. If only I knew back then all he had been through all at the same time..." He shakes his head in shame.

"But you didn't. Nobody knew what was up with him. Only I knew. And only several years later. You couldn't have done anything else."

"I could've tried harder."

"No. Austin had shut everybody out. There was nothing you could do."

"Well, now, Austin probably hates me anyway."

"Join the club." I mumble sadly.

"Sorry."

"It's fine... I should've known my actions would come back to stab me in the back." I sigh. "But anyway. Why does nobody seem to remember you were Austin's friend?"

He shrugs. "We were young. I guess they forgot."

I shrug. "Probably." I look at my watch._ 4:15_. "Sorry, I gotta go. Umm... Maybe you should try to talk to Austin. If you explain what happened, maybe he'll forgive you." I tell him, getting up.

"I don't think he'll let anyone in since-" He cuts himself off, but I know what he was going to say. _'-since you broke his trust.'_ Great, now I feel even more guilty. "Sorry." He apologizes, probably seeing my expression.

"No, it's fine. I deserve it. What I did was unforgivable." I clear my throat, and grab my backpack. "Umm... I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nods. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."

I nod and walk off. As I walk through the park to get to my house, I notice Austin sitting under a tree. He has his earphones in, so I'm guessing he's listening to music. I walk up to him to try and apologize, but as soon as he sees me, he glares and quickly gets up, walking away.

I jogg after him. "Austin, wait. Please, just... just hear me out."

He stops and turns to me, his stare cold. "What? What do you want to say? That you're sorry for revealing a secret of mine that you promised to keep? That you didn't mean for the whole school to know? That you're sorry for breaking my trust? Well, guess what. That's bullshit."

"Austin, please. I'm sorry." I pleade, my voice unsteady as I begin to feel the tears forming in my eyes. He rolls his eyes, which seem to also begin to water. We must look like a huge mess, right now. But I don't care. I just want Austin to forgive me.

"You know what's the worst? It's not that the whole school knows about my messed up life. It's about the fact that I _trusted_ you. After all the crap that I went through when I was younger, I had promised myself to never let _anyone_ in again. So that I wouldn't get hurt. Then, I met you. I made the mistake to let you in."

"It wasn't a mistake!" I cry, letting his words sink in. Hurting me. _Deeply_.

"Yes, it was!" He exclaims, tears also running down his cheeks. "See what happened, today? _That's_ why I didn't let anybody in."

"Austin, please." I choke out.

"No." He shakes his head. "I _trusted_ you, Ally. I really did." He says before walking away, leaving me behind.

Heartbroken.

* * *

**:.( Sorry, guys, but it had to happen :(**

**Anyway, what do you think? Dez's is Austin's old friend and a part of the reason he outcasted himself! Who would've thought! I honestly didn't until I read last chapter :P**

**And what about Auslly? Do you think they'll ever be the same again? Or more? Will Austin be able to let somebody in again, especially Ally? Stay tuned for the answers!**

**See ya next time,**

**R5AAFan & Storygurl16**


	14. Butt-Dial

**Hey, guys! New chapter here! Sorry for the long wait! Storygurl16 was caught up with homework and was sick, so she didn't have the time or the energy to write anything, but hey, it's here, right? Right.**

**Storygurl16 wrote this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Austin & Ally, or anything else you may recognize in this story.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Now, can anyone tell me how to solve the quadratic '3x2+x-14'?" My math teacher, Mrs. Williams asks. Now, I'm usually quick to answer these sorts of questions, but my mind is on other things. "Ally, do you know the answer?"

My head whips up at the sound of my name. "Huh?"

The class starts laughing.

"Is everything alright?" Mrs. Williams asks.

I sigh, and decide to tell the truth. "Not really. I'm having a hard time paying attention. Sorry. My mind is just elsewhere." I glance at Austin, and he rolls his eyes. This doesn't go unnoticed by Mrs. Williams.

"Ally, can I talk to you in the hall?" She asks. I nod and follow her out the door. She stops and turns to me. "Are you having trouble with friends or something because this is the third day that you've been having a hard time paying attention."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'll try harder to pay attention." I promise. She nods and we walk back into the classroom.

"Now, back to the problem." She addresses the class as I return to my seat, Austin's glare burning a deep hole in my back.

* * *

"Trish, I can't take it anymore. I need us to be okay again." I say, sitting on my bed. Trish and I are at my house. She's spending the night.

"Well, why don't you just talk to him?" She asks.

"I've already tried that." I point out.

"Well, try again." She states.

I sigh. "I've tried a million times, Trish! He won't listen!"

"Well, I don't know what else to say. I'm gonna go take a shower." She says, and heads off to the bathroom. Just then, my phone starts ringing. I look at the Caller ID. Austin?

"Hello?" I mutter into the receiver. No answer. I can hear talking, though.

"I can't, Grandma! She spread my secret around the whole school! I just can't forgive her that easily for something like that!" I hear him shout. What the…

"Why not? She seems really nice." His grandma says.

He sighs. "I know she's nice, but she still did something really wrong. I **trusted** her not to tell anyone, and she told her friend, Trish. Apparently, Cassidy was eavesdropping, and she spread it around the whole school!"

"Wait, so, _someone else_ told everyone? I thought you said _Ally_ did?" She says.

"No, Ally just told her friend. _Cassidy_'s the one who told everyone." He states.

His grandma sighs. "Then, shouldn't you be mad at Cassidy?"

"Well, yeah, but Ally-"

"Here's what I think it is. I think you like Ally." His grandma says. My eyes grow to the size of dinner plates.

"What!? No, I do _not_ like her!" He shouts.

"I think you do. She's really nice. I think you should ask her out."

He scoffs. "You're going crazy, Grandma. I do not, and I repeat, do not, like Ally like that."

"Do you like her as a friend?" she asks.

He sighs again. "Well, yeah. She's a great friend."

"That tells you right there. You should forgive her. It probably just slipped out and she didn't mean to tell anyone."

"Whatever, Grandma. I'm going to my room." He says. I then hear footsteps.

Well, this is weird. He must've butt-dialed me…

"Shit! Ally?" I hear him ask.

"Y-yeah?"

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" He asks.

I sigh. "Yeah."

He sighs, too. "I gotta go." _Click._ Well, then…

* * *

_Storygurl16: Italized_ R5AAFan: Underlined** Normal: Bold**

_Well, there you go! Oh, before I forget. Starting next week, I might not be able to update as much as possible because my school is having a play, and I'm one of the cast members, and practices start next week. Also, track season starts next week, too, but I don't think that should interfere too much. Just the play will. We usually have like 5 hour long practices. It's pretty exhausting. Well, that's about it._

As for me, with homework and everything, I might get a bit caught up, but I'll try my best at updating. I have a sciences lesson I'm struggling with (it's the second time I fail it and have to do it again until I pass, which is 70%), so I have to study for that too. That's about it for me too.

**Anyway... Please review! We really appreciate them. We'll try to update as soon as possible. We hope you understand, and apologize in advance if it takes us time to update.**

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**R5AAFan & Storygurl16**


	15. Giving Up

**Hey, guys! I had a four days long weekend, so I had the time to write! Yay!**

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"Hi." I greet Austin at his locker. I was on my way to mine when I thought I could give it one more try before giving up on him. I know I said I wouldn't give up on him, but... I just can't deal with this anymore. He obviously doesn't want me in his life, so this should be the final goodbye. No matter how sadden I am about that thought.

He turns around. As soon as we make eye contact, he rolls his eyes and starts walking away. I grab his arm and he stops, turning back to me. "What do you want?"

I sigh. "Look, I know you don't want anything to do with me, so I'm willing to leave you alone. But before I do so, I want you to hear me out."

He crosses his arms with a sigh. "Fine. Go ahead."

"Okay... Umm... Well..." I shake my head to get myself to focus again. "I know you're mad at me, but—I'm sorry to bring that call up, but I need to—your grandma is right! You're being mad at the wrong person! I wasn't the one who told the whole school about your life, I would _never_ do that to you! You know that! I could never do anything to hurt you."

"Then, why did you tell Trish? You promised not to tell anyone!"

"Okay, I know. I won't deny it. I made a mistake, alright? I'm sorry. But if it helps anything, I knew I could trust Trish and that she'd never tell a soul. Otherwise, I wouldn't have told her."

"Are you done?"

"No. You have to understand something. I know you think letting me in was a mistake, but it wasn't. Yes, I betrayed your trust, and I'll never be able to forgive myself for that. But that doesn't mean you have to shut everyone out again. Someday, you'll find someone who will love you... even more than I do. Don't shut them out in fear of getting hurt. You'll just get hurt more. And if you shut them out, they'll never get the chance to know someone as great as you." I pat his shoulder, ready to walk away, out of his life. "Don't shut everyone out, Austin." I tell him one last time before walking away.

"Wait." His voice stops me from walking any further, but I don't turn around. I refuse to get my hopes up. I hear him sigh. "Thanks."

"No problem." I nod and keep walking. I'm stopped again, this time by a hand gripping my arm. I turn around to meet Austin's brown eyes, once dull, now full of emotions. I only now realize that I only saw him happy once, that day he helped me clean my pool. I wish I could see that spark in his eyes again. It was like seeing him live again. Now, he's back to coma.

"You don't understand. I'm thanking you for everything. Sticking by me when I rejected you so many times, not giving up on me, and... showing me that there's someone who cares." He says, getting closer with every word. By now, we're only a centimeter appart.

"Who's that?" I ask, hating the way my voice is so shaky, caused by how close he's standing from me.

"You." He says. Next thing I know, his lips are on mine. _Maybe giving up is a bad decision, right now._

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"I saw a pretty interresting sight on my way to class, this morning." Trish tells me on our way to the cafeteria.

"Really? What is it?" I ask her, even though I have a bad feeling I know where this is going.

"You and Blondie lip-locking." She nudges me teasingly.

"That?" I scoff awkwardly. "It was nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing to me. Now, spill the details! Do you like him? Is he a good kisser? Was it weird kissing a freakishly tall guy since your so short? Does he like you? Did he forgive you? Did you talk to him? What happened?!"

"Whoa, slow down, you're making me dizzy!" I exclaim.

She shoots me a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

"Anyway, I-I think I might like him." She gives me a look. "Oh, who am I kidding? I _do_ like him. I don't think he likes me back, though..."

"Was he the one who initiated the kiss?"

"Well, yeah, but... We were both kind of emotional. That makes the kiss kind of no big deal, doesn't it?"

"Not really. Just talk to him. I'm sure you guys will sort everything out."

I give her a look. "Have you _met_ Austin?"

She shrugs. "Not really."

I nod. "Right."

"Anyway, answer my other questions!"

"Alright, alright. Umm... Yeah, he's a good kisser. I mean, I didn't kiss a lot of guys in my life, but... Yeah, he's good. Surprisingly, the height difference didn't really seem to... bother either of us."

"Too lost in your own little world!" Trish tells me teasingly.

I roll my eyes. "Shut up." I mutter before going through her questions in my head. "I don't know if he forgave me. I was ready to leave him alone, I told him, he stopped me from walking away, thanked me, and kissed me. So... yeah. Not really sure what to think. But yeah, I did talk to him. A whole speech that probably made him dizzy."

"What was the speech about?"

"Him being mad at the wrong person."

"Seriously?" She gives me a look. "You made a speech out of _that_?"

"W-Well, yeah. Oh, and I told him it was important to let people in too, even if it meant he could get hurt in the process."

"Well, at least a good advice came out of that." She says as we walk in the cafeteria. My eyes immediately find Austin, sitting at his usual table. Our eyes lock and he waves me over with a shy smile. I turn to Trish and the look on her face tells me she caught our little silent conversation. "Go. I'll go find Dez."

I nod. "I'll meet up with you guys later."

"Sure you will." She says sarcastically before walking away. I roll my eyes at Trish's teasing before walking over to Austin.

"Hey." He greets me as I sit down.

"Hi." I greet back.

... Awkward silence.

"Okay, let's not make things awkward. Care to explain why you kissed me?" I ask him curiously.

He shrugs. "It just... I don't know... It felt right, I guess."

"So, you kissed me because it felt right?"

"Look, Ally, you know I'm not good with my feelings. I don't know how to deal with them." He tells me, a helpless look on his face. "I think I finally figured out why I wouldn't let you in."

"Why is that?"

"Because..." He trails off, sighing. "I like you. I pushed you away because it was the only way to push away my feelings. I didn't _want_ to like you, or let you in, but... I don't know... It's like I couldn't help it. And I still can't."

"Why didn't you want to like me? Am I _that_ horrible?"

"No! No no, that's— that's not what I meant!" He exclaims quickly. "It's just that... you know, with everything that happened in my life, I didn't want to let myself getting hurt again. But with everything you told me this morning, I realized that pushing you away was just hurting me more. I know you didn't mean to let the whole school know about my used-to-be-secret. I overreacted, and I'm sorry."

"Is that why you left so quickly when you were at my house, the other day? You were scared?"

He nods, looking down at his food. "I was scared to let you in. Because I didn't believe in love and I was scared that I was starting to have feelings for you. I knew you were different from everyone else, but... I just couldn't help but look back to everything that happened to me in the past. So, I did what my head told me to and pushed you away. Until I couldn't anymore. Because you were ready to give up on me. And that's when I realized that I couldn't let you do that." He lifts his head to meet my eyes again. His pleading eyes, full of pain and loneliness. "I need you, Ally. Please don't give up on me like everyone else did."

"Austin, I could never give up on you. Even if I wanted to." I assure him.

"Then, why were you ready to do so, this morning?" He asks me, frowning in confusion.

"I wasn't. I thought you didn't want anything to do with me, and that no matter how hard I tried, you were so mad at me that you would never talk to me again. I didn't _want_ to give up on you. I never did. But I was ready to leave you alone. I wasn't giving up on you. I was giving you space. I would've watched you from a fair distance, hoping you'd open up to someone else. Someone who wouldn't betray your trust like I did."

"You didn't betray my trust. It wasn't your fault. It was Cassidy's."

"Still. I should've kept my mouth shut and not tell Trish. But like I said earlier, I wouldn't have told her if I knew I couldn't trust her."

"I know. And like I said, I'm sorry I overreacted."

I nod, sighing. "Can we just start over?"

"Sure."

I take my hand out for him to shake. "I'm Ally."

He chuckles, shaking my hand. "I'm Austin. You know, my old self would've rejected you."

"Your old self?" I raise an eyebrow, pretending to be confused.

He nods, playing along. "Yup. I met this... pretty amazing girl. She taught me that life is about taking risks, and that no matter what, you'll always have someone who cares about you."

I smile. "She sounds amazing."

He nods once again, returning the smile. "She is."

I look down and realize that we still haven't released each other's hand. Oh well, it's not like I'm going to let go anyway. And it seems like he's not going to either. Does it bother me?

Not at all.

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**BAM! Done!**

**Okay, we know what you guys think. "FINALLY!" But let's be honest, who likes rushed stories where they hate each other one day and loves each other the next? Exactly. No one. Because it's not realistic. So, we thank everyone who's sticking with us and this story and is being patient. We really appreciate it.**

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**R5AAFan & Storygurl16 :)**


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